Once upon a time in a place called Canada, a girl and her 11 older brothers lived.

Their names were Benjamin, Liam, Edward, Simon, Sebastian, Ethan, David, Martin, Aaron, Robert and Yolanda Bennet. Yolanda was 7 years old and very glad to be a girl. In one month she was receiving her first holy communion. Where we start our story is a brisk April day. "We're going duck hunting," Mr. Bennet said as he came into the kitchen. "I guess Yolanda can come with us this time." He winked at his daughter. "Yes!" Yolanda squealed from where she sat playing with her dolls, and then ran to get her things. Mr. Bennet smiled at his wife as their youngest ran from the room. "I'm ready!" She yelled as she came back in a pair of mud boots and her raincoat. AN HOUR LATER. "I see one," Ethan whispered. Yolanda looked to where he was pointing and sure enough there was a duck, swimming along in the pond. David quietly aimed his gun while lying on the ground, squinting one eye. The duck turned at the last second and for Yolanda, time stopped. It seemed it was trying to say something, but Yolanda didn't know what. It let out an urgent "QUACK!" and then David pulled the trigger. Ears ringing, Yolanda sat there dumbfounded for a moment. Then she screamed. Mr. Bennet rushed to her as she cried and pointed to where the duck floated motionless in the pond. "What is it honey? What is it?" He looked to where she was pointing. Three little ducklings swam around the dead duck, quacking in confusion and worry. "You never... never said that ducks... had babies." Yolanda wailed. "You killed their moooommmmmy!" She burst into tears. "Course they do, Yolie. Everything has babies," Martin said, but wiggled uncomfortably as he looked back at the little ducklings. "We're going home," Mr. Bennet said decidedly. Over the next few weeks, Yolanda Bennet couldn't get the duck out of her head. It was everywhere she looked. On her way home from 1st communion catechism lessons it was there, on the sport shop sign. The calendar in the kitchen. The sticker on Uncle Rodger's car. Yolanda started to get jumpy when her brothers laughed and ran around the house. Her dolls wouldn't even play nice. And it wouldn't stop raining.

Then it started. There were duck feathers in the bathroom at church. She screamed and ran outside, causing people to come running. "Its following me!" She cried, sobbing to her mother. "What is?" Mrs. Bennet asked, concerned. "The duck. It hates me!" She buried her face in her mother's shoulder and cried some more. When she got home, she was afraid to be alone. Her brothers started to get irritated when she started clutching their arms when they were in a room together. The rubber duckies in her bath mocked her and she locked them in the closet in desperation. Unblinking eyes followed her every move. At bedtime, Yolanda crept under her blankets and stared fearfully into the dark. Something moved out in the hall. Her heart beat faster and faster, and quaking she put the blanket over her head, not even daring to breathe. Finally, hours later, she fell asleep and in her dreams was plagued by rubber duckies and pink turtles. The next morning, Yolanda made a resolution. She was the type of no nonsense person that believed in right and wrong, and certainly not in Santa Claus. She was going to have a talk with the ducks at the pond. Before breakfast, Yolanda put on her same mud boots and raincoat. She made her way to the duck pond, a small walk from the house. She grew a little apprehensive as she got closer, but with the Bennet determination she continued on. "Ducks? Ducks I need to talk to you." Her eyes were wide and fearful. She licked her lips. Nothing. She tried again. "I'm sorry about the mother duckie, I really am! I didn't know she had babies. Could you please leave me alone?" Still nothing. They were gathering in the rushes, watching her. Waiting to strike. She couldn't do it! A duck suddenly appeared, waddling towards her at a fast pace. "No!" She shrieked, and ran back home. It was never going to end! In the house the calendar stared at her. It was everywhere. AT CATECHISM CLASS LATER IN THE DAY "You want me to WHAT?" Father asked incredulously. "I need you to excorse me, Father Haynos. Its following me. It even watches me get dressed!" She clutched his cassock pleadingly. "I asked them to leave me alone but they won't. They hate me!" "But-"

"Its the ONLY WAY." Fr. Haynos sat down in a chair to think for a moment, gesturing for Yolanda to do the same. "Well..." He began bewildered. "You can do it?" Yolanda asked excitedly. "I don't think that your duck is a demon, Yolanda. Excorsing is a big deal. I will say some prayers that this, this duck problem will go away and you do the same, okay? I'm going to go talk to your parents about it now, you try to stop thinking about it and we'll figure out what to do." He said kindly. Yolanda had tears welling up in her eyes. "But- but..." She took in a deep breath. "Okay, Father." She got off her chair, head hanging and went outside. There was nothing left to do but pray she guessed. Three days later, Yolanda had a plan. Her best friend Belle had suggested it to her and she just knew it would work. Today was her first communion, and today she was going to be duck free. Yolanda knelt in the front row of the church along with the other first communicants. Father had just consecrated the Host and everyone in her class knelt with heads bowed to receive their Lord for the first time. Her turn was up next! She closed her eyes and opened her mouth as she had been told and felt Father place something on her tongue. She asked God with all her heart to make the duck go away and leave her alone, but also to make her a good girl. Belle said that you could ask God for anything for your first communion and he would grant it. It was definitely worth a shot. Also, she would have God in her MOUTH-! Yolanda felt extremely privileged. After Mass the first communicants posed for a picture and Yolanda smiled as she realized that since her first communion she hadn't even thought of ducks! It had been the farthest thing from her mind. She no longer felt like she was being watched! It was gone! "YES!" She yelled, bringing her fist down in triumph. All eyes turned to watch her. Whoops.